The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company revealed two winners in the 40th anniversary Goodyear Highway Hero program. Since 1983, Goodyear has recognized commercial drivers through this program.
“In 2023, we asked for nominations of commercial drivers who went above and beyond to help others on the road,” Rich Cottrell, senior director, commercial marketing, said. “The stories submitted this year reinforced the important job that commercial drivers play in our everyday lives and illustrate in heroic ways the powerful impact professional drivers can have on the roads, individual lives and communities when they help others.”
In June 2023, Timothy VanNostrand, an owner/operator of his own logging transport company from Northville, NY, used his logging truck to block a suspect’s escape during a traffic stop that escalated into a shootout with a New York State Trooper. For 12 minutes, gunfire exchanged between the trooper and the assailant. The suspect fled into nearby woods, pursued by police. Reflecting on the incident, VanNostrand, a member of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) said, “I’m just grateful to have been in the right place at the right time and place to prevent the situation from being much, much worse, as my seemingly normal Friday route turned something that you only see on television.”
In September 2023, Elijah Ramos, a driver for Ryder System, Inc., was on his morning route in Victorville, CA. As he drove through a remote desert area, he witnessed an SUV lose control, cross multiple lanes of traffic and crash into a field. Ramos alerted his dispatcher and stayed with the injured young woman until help arrived, then returned to his normal route after to finish his day.
“Since it was such a remote area, it could have been a long time until help arrived,” Ramos said. “I was glad to be there when it happened and to call for help quickly.”
After a nationwide call for entries, Goodyear said finalists were identified and reviewed by a panel of independent industry judges to select VanNostrand and Ramos as the grand prize winners. They will receive prizes from Goodyear in recognition of their actions. After review, two additional finalists will be recognized as runners-up and receive their own Goodyear prizes. The runners-up are:
Joshua Day, an ABF Freight driver from Potsdam, OH and Russel Peasley, a Brakebush Transportation driver from Necedah, WI.
